Anybody get really bad sinus headaches?

**shodude** · 06-11-2003, 05:16 PM

My fiancee gets extremely painful sinus headaches and nothing she takes helps. She's taken prescription Claritin, sudafed, zyrtec, and nothing helps at all. I was wondering if anyone else has the same problem and has found some good stuff out there.

**HeartDocMD** · 06-11-2003, 06:20 PM

My initial problem with question is that every sinus pain is potentially due to different modalities. These include allergies, a tumor, or an infection. You said she tryed Clariton, which is currently one of he best if it were in fact allergies. Without seeing her I can't say what is causing her pain, but I would tend to hypothesize that it could be an infection, which is common when the sinuses don't drain properly. Many people have this, and deal with it because it just doesn't cause them enough annoyance. However, in this particular case obviously the pain is great, and she should really go in to get scanned(CT or MRI).

Go look for a well qualified ENT (ear/nose/throat doctor) near you.

**HeartDocMD** · 06-11-2003, 06:23 PM

If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask.

**shodude** · 06-11-2003, 06:30 PM

Thanks for the help. She gets numerous sinus infections every year and you are probably right in saying that she has an infection. What could they possibly find through the MRI/CAT scan if she did go through with it besides a tumor? I'm just wondering what would/could clog these sinuses. She is only 21 by the way.

kc · 06-11-2003, 07:15 PM

Definately have her go see a specialist...my dad had a sinus infection...untreated and ended up with menengitis...something about untreated bacteria....anyways, he ended up with surgery on his sinuses and is finally gettin better.....anyways...good luck and see a DR!

**shodude** · 06-11-2003, 08:36 PM

One thing that I did forget to mention, which may be valuable, is that she sleeps in her partially finished basement. Some rooms were added to her basement but it still has that moist air feel to it if you know what I'm saying.

**HeartDocMD** · 06-11-2003, 10:32 PM

A scan will show the shape of the sinuses. With some people, the sinuses don't "drain" properly which often leads to infection.

***BIG TEXAN*** · 06-12-2003, 07:43 AM

I used to get such bad sinus infection as a child I'd be hospitalized often. The doc's said something about my sinus's are double that of a normal person or something like that. Anyways we moved from up north to a dryer climate here in Texas and I haven't had but 2 in the past 10 years.

**Doc M** · 06-12-2003, 01:04 PM

HeartDoc is on the money..Go see a ENT specialist to help rule out any major problems..Many people suffer sinusitis along with infections thus leading to extreme discomfort and at times excruciating pain..

I will share a personal story which will hopefully lead to strongly suggest seeing a Doctor..Several years ago, my mother, who was also a Registered Nurse for over 30 years, called me and told me she had been having recurring headaches which she believed were sinus related. After writing her a script for an antibiotic she continued to have the headaches. Eventualy one night she was having a severe ache in her temporal region and decided to go into the ER and get checked. The ER Doc was a friend of hers and decided to order up a CT scan which revealed a large basilar artery aneurysm. SHe was subsequently Lifelined to a trauma center where she was isolated from all stimulus.

After seeing several neurosurgeons they decided to perfom surgery to repair the defect. After several long hours of surgery, they determined that the aneurysm could not be repaired without a very high risk of massive stroke. They terminated the surgery and stitched her up. She recovered only to literally drop dead one morning one year later. The only thing she was doing at the time was talking on the telephone.

The moral of the story is when you are suffering from somethiing that is reoccuring and painful, get it checked because it could be absolutely nothing, or it could be something very serious.

Doc M

***BIG TEXAN*** · 06-12-2003, 01:57 PM

After my second consecutive week of migranes my mom took me in to see an ENT and that's how we discovered my sinus problem. Definatly go see a specialist.

**shodude** · 06-12-2003, 09:03 PM

Holy crap! That was in the basilar artery! I'm sorry to hear about your loss and I can see the importance of getting something like this checked out. I'm always telling her to go to the Doc when she has recurring problems like this because I am one of those people that always has to know what is wrong. She is more like the guy and just deals with it. We will definitely get a referral to go see a specialist. Thanks again for the help. It has been very useful.